Terminal clip.



P. C. HAINS, JR.

TERMINAL CLIP.

APPLICATION FILED 1101222, 1911.

1,029,499.. Patented June 11, 1912.

WITNESSES Allormy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TERMINAL CLIP.

To'all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, PETER C. HAINS, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing" at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certaih new and useful Improvements in Terminal Clips, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. I

This invention relates to terminal .clips for electric conductors which may be placed in position or removed at pleasure and the main object of the invention is to provide a terminal clip. which will maintain a good electrical contact with the binding post at 'all times and will not jar loose therefrom under vibration as when used upon an automobile.

'Such clips, however, in practice, are frequently jarred from engagement with the binding post and become ineffective unless the thumb screw or nut upon the binding post is turned fully home so as to clamp the.

terminal. My invention provides upon the terminal clip simple and inexpensive means for retaining it in engagement with the binding post against influences which tend to prematurely dislodge it. v A preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a plan view of a terminal clip embodying my improvement; Fig. 2 is an. edge view of the same; Fig. 3 1s an end view; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form; and Fig. 5 is an edge view thereof.

In the drawings wherein similar letters of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views, 1 designates? a plate of brass, copper or other good conductive material, having a central longitudinal slit 2, whereby it is formed into a pair of springjaws, and providedwith notches 3 on the mner edges of the jaws.

near, one end to engage a nding post as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. At its opposite end 4, the plate 1s connected both mechanically and electrically to the conductor in any convenient or preferred manner. I

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, lugs or ears 5, 6, are

Specification of Letters Patent.

PETER, o. HAIN'S, m, or WASHINGTON, msrmcr or COLUMBIA.

PatentedJune11, 1912.

Application filed November 22, 1911. Serial No. 661,745.

formed on the opposite side edges of the plate in rear of the notches 3, and are turned up so as to constltute supports for a screw,

bo-lt or .other form of retainer 7. In the 50 specific construction shown, the retainer is a headed bolt inserted through the lugs or ears 5 and 6, a nut 8 being mounted on the end of the bolt and turned home against the lug 6, one side of which is bentoutward to lock the nut in position. The lugs or ears are not threaded, and the opening in the lug 4: nearest the head of the bolt is slightly larger in diameter than that of the bolt in order to allow the jaws to play or spring 7 freely therein, so that when the nut is turned home, the jaws will be caused to firmly engage the binding post and will be retained in such engagement until the necessary force is applied to withdraw them. Thenut may be omitted, however, if one lug or ear be threaded and the threaded portion of the bolt or screw be engaged in said threaded ear. It will be readily understood that by turning the nut or the screw a steady strain 30' is exerted upon the jaws of the plate 1 so that the notches 3 will preserve a firm grip on the binding postand this grip may be varied'to suit particular conditions through turning the screw o-r' nut more or less and 5 thereby adjusting the tension of the jaws. The jaws will thus be prevented from accidentally springing apart and a positive elec-' trical contact will be assured at all times.

It will be immaterial whether the usual thumb screw is turned down upon the plate and it may be omitted, although it will in all probability generally be used. As shown most clearly in Fig. 3 the screw or bolt will preferably be of such a diameter that it will rest upon the upper surface of the plate sub-- stantially parallel thereto and thereby serve as a brace to prevent twisting or canting of the jaws.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 mentwith one of the bearin s, but both bearings may be of smooth bore and the re-r'" I tainer secured by a nut on its end. This form is advantageous as the axis of the retainer is brought within the plane of the plate and any tendency of the aws to twist p out of that plane. is eflectually nullified. Moreover, the tubular. bearings strengthen adapted for use on binding posts of various sizes, many of which cannot accommodate terminal clips now in general use. I

' I have illustrated what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention but it is to be understood that I am not restricted to the construction shown and herein specifically described as various changes may be made therein without involving a departure from the invent-ion as the same is defined in the appended claims.

It will be observed by the structure hereinbefore described, that is by providing the means extending transversely across the flat surface of the clip and the slot therein, a terminal clip is provided whereby upon tightening or loosening at will said transverse means the tension or biting effect of the jaws of the clip can be varied, thereby regulating the amount of contact of the jaws and insuring an excellent electric connection, far better than if the mere spring of the jaws themselves w as depended upon, as thisspring of the jaws might very easily become weakened by too much spreading.

.With this transverse means that I employ,

however, the grip of the jaws becomes entirely independent of whatever spring there may be in them, and they may be made to grip even after all initial spring is lost, not

only with the same facility as before, but

not be pulled off of the contact they are making by any ordinary force, and will continue to hold and grip until removed by the operator. This practically means that the connection cannot be destroyed or pulled apart after once being made except at the will of the operator. -A terminal clip constructed in this 'way has a decidedly greater range of grip than when no transverse device is employed, and where the spring in the jaws themselves is depended on to give contact. Furthermore, a pair of jaws as The jaws having been made to.

ordinarily made without the transverse device will grip a binding post of a certain thickness. To grip a thicker post will un-' duly spread the jaws, which depending upon their own spring for grip must bemade comparatively stiff. To grip a thinner post causes them to lose a great part of their power to grip, as the spring of the jaws nec-- essarily-being stiff they will not properly close about a post thinner than the size for which they were intended. This necessitates avariety of sizes of such clips'with clips now in use, whereas with clips of my construction practically one size will answer for all, inasmuch as in my construction the jaws of the clips are not dependent upon their spring to grip, but instead upon the transverse device. The jaws being made of thin material resent to the binding post something of a nife edge and the transverse device on being tightened causes these knife edges to keep a bright surface under them, thereby making an excellent electric contact. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A terminal clip formed of a sheet of thin fiat resilient material having a central slot whereby a pair of spring jaws are formed, means mounted upon said jaws for adjusting said jaws toward and away from,

each other, said means extending transversely across and over said jaws and the slot in a plane substantially parallel to the flat surfaces of the j aws.

2. A terminal clip formed of a sheet of thin fiat resilient material having a central longitudinal slot whereby a pair of spring j aws are formed, upturned lugs on the outer edges of said jaws, a retaining bolt passing through said upturned lugs across and upon the fiat surfaces of the jaws for adjusting said aws toward and away from each other, and a nut mounted on the end of said bolt and turned home against the adjacent lug, said adjacent lug being turned against one side of the nut to lock the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER o. IIAINS, JR.

Witnesses: I

CHAs. E. RIORDAN, E. WILLIAMS. 

